Gaming

FO76 and had paid the pre order and I was hoping to do roleplaying but it was so buggy and the controversies made me no longer play it.

Pretty much any game made by Valve. I have a bunch of friends that are really fans of them and I gradually started enjoying them as well.

Overwatch was basically the only way I could socialize with my friends for a while, even though nothing about it really spoke to me. I thought for sure the allure would wear off with my friends quickly, but they stuck with it for a long, long time, until after it became Overwatch 2, though the sentiment had turned on it before that.

I’ve also been stuck in the mentality of if I want to play a game in a series I need to play the prior games.

I do this too. I just played through Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 before starting 3, and I already know there's at least one recurring character who will show up in this new one; it's that kind of thing that makes me want to see what came before. However, if I was playing Armored Core 6 right now (which I'm not, but if I find the time, maybe I will), I won't be compelled to play the earlier games in the series. I tried Armored Core 4 back in the day, and the story is as much as "you're a mercenary; shoot stuff". Not a whole lot lost there, and that means that the sequel is more of an upgrade to the software than it is a totally different chapter in a continuing story.

I'll forget I'm a hyper intelligent demigod for a moment and slum it with you mortals over this jovial exercise.

Mine was Diablo IV. Thought it would rekindle my memories of rotting away at Diablo for significant parts of my life, and if I didn't buy it at release I'd miss all the comradery and special events...biggest gaming purchase regret of recent memory. Of course I'm the type to not give up on something, so I blew past the playtime return window just enough to realize it's the same addiction of lacklustre gameplay bolstered by occasional dopamine hits that I have to kick every time a new Diablo game gets released.

Warhammer 40,000 Darktide

I really wanted to be in on it from the beginning to be along for the entire story as it develops, and ooh boy was that a mistake. Haven't played it since January and looking at the progress since then there isn't really much to draw me back in.

Those aren't really FOMO in my opinion, more like being curious about what the praise was about. It's trying new stuff, and rather healthy I'd say, even if you realize some of those really weren't for you in the end. Yeah, I had quite a few of those too.

To me, FOMO would be anxiety about stuff that you really can miss "forever" and regret afterwhile.

In games, it's weaponized with artificially limited stuff because whoever is pulling the string wants you to fear a missed opportunity and make an impulse decision.

It's stuff like preorder "bonuses" you will never have another chance to get otherwise, time-limited content, battlepasses, daily rewards etc.

One of the most pathetic recent example I can think of being Nintendo making the translation of a 1990 Famicom game available only for a couple months. "Quick, buy Fire Emblem now, before it disappears forever!!!"

Final Fantasy VII. I love the franchise, but never got far into VII. Played through it so I could have an opinion on it, so I could see what I was missing. I ended up very disappointed.

Yeah, I've got the same thing with playing previous games in the series. This summer I've tried playing BG1 and then BG2 prior to BG3's release - and I did not go very far (did not like the UI).

Agree with other commenters: this is healthy.

For me, I bought Elden Ring day one because the hype was real. It's a good game -- but not really my jam.

I explored the Yakuza series for a similar reason, and I've absolutely loved that. I really want to try Ishin.

I bought a PS4 Pro for RDR2. I stand by that decision, but I probably wouldn't go that far again.

Just getting back into gaming after eons. First up was Witcher 3... still working on it but damn glad I didn't miss out on it. It's been everything I had hoped for.

RDR2 is next. I started it. Not sure.

Stellaris was lauded on Reddit. Excellent game.

I have been wanting to play half life 2 since I first saw it but also never played the first. Am working thru that too. It's been awesome.

X com UFO Defense is one I played but never finished. Tried to. Fuck that game lol

Breath of the Wild. My first Zelda game. Not one single regret.